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Pride Blog Series Day 1- Jove Belle

Hey everyone! Welcome to June! I’m super flattered that Liz asked me to open the month long blog party to celebrate Pride Month and I’ve given a lot of thought to what that really means to in my little slice of the world.

When we were younger, Tara and I went to all the local pride events. We’d hit Portland, then Vancouver, and close it out with the drive up to Seattle. Each event meant something different for us.

If you ever visit Portland, you’re likely to see a bumper sticker that says KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD. The people here take pride in being different, in exploring life and finding the joy in unexpected places. Portland Pride has all that fabulous local flavor. Going to that event makes me feel young, and makes me remember what it’s like to be always on the cusp of something amazing and so excited to see how life unfolds.

Vancouver (Washington, not Brittish Columbia) hosts a much smaller event. There’s a small festival downtown that doesn’t include a parade. Going there is about feeling at home. We can take our kids and not feel overwhelmed by the crowds. It’s about connecting with our community and just feeling good for the day.

For all the weirdness in Portland, it doesn’t come close to the energy of Seattle. Seattle hosts a larger than life event. Everything is bolder, shinier, and the energy is overwhelming. The last time we made the trip up for Seattle Pride, Tara was pregnant with Lily and Wyatt was a very demanding toddler. It was exhilarating, but more than anything, I remember being completely exhausted at the end of the day.

As we’ve gotten older, Tara and I have attended fewer pride events. Something that had been a critical celebration during my twenties and early thirties has faded to something that I think fondly of but have no compelling drive to participate in. Is that because we have less pride? No, I don’t think so.

We attend parent-teacher conferences together. We make it clear every time we go out that we, with all our rowdy children, are a family. I’m mom. She’s mommy. We answer questions about what it’s like for our kids to have two moms. Or how two lesbians managed to have so many kids. How does all that work?

We know and love all our neighbors and they know and love us, including the evangelical Christian family that lives next door. We take our kids to the doctor together. We cheer their sporting events together. And our kids make all the other kids jealous because they have two moms instead of just one and isn’t that just the coolest thing ever?

We share kisses and hugs and moments of love without thinking about where we are or what it might mean to the people around us. And you know what? The people around us don’t even notice. We obviously belong together. Nothing shocking here.

So, while I love the dedication of a festival, a parade, a week, or even a month to the celebration of gay pride, I appreciate more the day to day living that says “I’m here and I’m gay and I’m proud of it.”

Leave a comment about Jove’s blog to enter her book giveaway. The prizes will either be the winner’s choice of eBook or a signed copy of Uncommon Romance. Winners will be announced on July 7th! So keep those comments coming!

Love the picture too. I can relate to the change in how I celebrate pride….I mean look at me, I’m organizing blogs and reading specials rather then lining up to watch the parade. I loved each experience I have had in life, including the fond pride parade and pier party memories.

Dutch! Thanks for checking in. It’s funny, we’ve been so busy expressing our pride in little ways every day that I’ve sort of lost track of the big celebrations, but this might be the year to change that!

Jove,
I’ve come to love you and your family and this writing re-affirms why. I know I’ve said this before, but you and Tara are two of the most amazing parents. You’re raising these great kids, and even though Wyatt has had his share of problems, y’all have handled it amazingly and taught him he can do anything.

Like you, Marlyn and I are no longer rearranging our lives for Pride as we did in the earlier years. In fact we didn’t go last year. But, I AM volunteering this week at GayDays. I’m working the Welcome Both and I’m excited about that. It’s sort of like Pride with a Disney flair. But you’re right, as we get older, we just don’t celebrate in the same way that we used to. We’ve been together 32 years and when we first got together there were no Pride events. So through the years we’ve shared the gambit.

Loved your writing as usual. Please no consideration for a book. I have them ALL and I kinda work for the company LOL!

Awesome blog. I actually have NEVER been to a Pride Festival. It doesn’t mean I am not proud, its just my Work/ Career and family has always been my priority with regards to any free time. Now that im married and with all our new journeys ahead, a Pride Festival is definitely on the list.

What a lovely family you have. I have (through my wife) two adult daughters, four grandchildren, one great-grandbaby and another on the way. When we got married last September we had a small at home wedding, surrounded by the generations of our family. There’s nothing to compare. Happy (homestyle) Pride.

Hello. I loved this post. My partner and our three small children (we also have a son named Wyatt) live just North of you in Ridgefield. We adopted our kids in 2009 and haven’t been to a Pride event since then, but we feel the same: every day, every “event” with the kids “outs” us as being two mom’s and Lisa and I don’t shy away from that. I think the annual Pride festivities are great here in the Northwest, too. On the one hand, just thinking about packing up the kids and hitting the waterfront makes me tired but, when they get older, I expect we will be there cheering the paraders on and joining in the festivities. On the other hand., the regular day to day grind seems to be a revolving door of opportunities to be out and proud parents. Unless the kids are misbehaving. Then we leave the area.

Finally have some time to read the first Pride blog and totally enjoyed it. Great blog, Jove! This says it all: “I appreciate more the day to day living that says “I’m here and I’m gay and I’m proud of it.”